Invalid transfer apparatus



March 21, 1961 E. E. FORREST 2,975,435

INVALID TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed Jan. 25, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I L H.I: -I /3 I I I I I I I I I I I I I /0 I I "I 39 II I [CI if I I 36 H I II 36 I I I IHIII I I I I I: 0 :fl|::|| -50 I ,III, I I I I I II A -55 IIT I I 41/ I ;)'I

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fFFfE E. Fozisf Uniw t t Patent INVALID TRANSFER APPARATUS Eifee E.Forrest, 209 E. Oppenheimer, Uvalde, Tex. Filed Jan. 25, 1960, S21. N0.4,461 3 Claims. (Cl; -317) This invention relates to an invalid transferapparatus and more particularly to that type of apparatus by means ofwhich a disabled person may be transferred from bed to a chair, awalker, a commode, or vice versa, without the necessity of the invalidmoving about under his own power.

'The main object of this invention is that of providing a transferapparatus including a foot base having a hydraulic lift to provide ameans where a patient who has impaired powers of bodily movement may belifted from the floor to a bed in a standing position and may then sitdirectly on the bed without the necessity of the patients hips beingmanually elevated, so that the patient can sit i on the bed in a similarfashion, also in lifting a patient in a doctors office or hospitaldirectly to an examining or operating table.

As conducive to a clearer understanding of this invention, it may bepointed out that most hospital beds of the type in which most cripplesare maintained, are considerably higher than conventional beds. If apatient were in a standing position and desired to get into aconventional bed, it would be a simple matter to sit directly down onthe bed and then be moved into a reclining position. However, with theusual hospital bed being considerably higher, if a patient is standingon the floor his hips are about level with the mattress and the patientmust be raised up, or the hips lifted, or the patient bodily manipulatedin such a manner as to enable him to get on the bed. This often requiresthe help of more than one person, particularly if the patient is heavy.By the use of this invention one person can, with the hydraulic lift,elevate the entire body of the patient sufliciently high that they cansimply sit directly on the bed, without a lot of manipulation, and thenlie down without any great physical force being exerted by the attendantand without undue strain on the patient. All hospitals provide ahospital bed stool which is usually about six to eight inches high, andpatients customarily can stand on this stool to get into bed. If apatient is very badly crippled it is often very difiicult to get them onthis stool where they can get into bed. The hydraulic lift on theinvention eliminates the difficulty encountered in this fashion.

Another object of this invention is the provision of such a device whichmay be readily, moved from place to place with a minimum of effort anddifliculty, and which maybe rotated to accommodate the needs of thepatient.

Still other objects of the invention reside in the arrangements ofparts, details of construction, and combinations of elements, all aswill be more fully pointed out hereinafter and disclosed in theaccompanying drawings wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment ofthis inventive concept.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of one form of device embodying theelements of the instant invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the construction of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the construction of Figure 1shown in a different position of adjustment;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along theline 4-4 of Figure 1, as viewed in the direction indicated by thearrows; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 ofFigure 1, parts thereof beingbroken away, as viewed in the directionindicated by the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, the device of theinstant invention, generally indicated at 10, includes a base plate 11having a pair of laterally spaced ears 11A, upon which are mounted apair of upwardly extending hollow tubular support members 12. A secondpair of similar support members 13 are mounted centrally of the rear ofbase 11. Pairs of U-shaped patientsupporting members 14 and 15 aremounted adjacent the top and the middle portion of the device,respectively, and extend horizontally from the members 12 rearwardlyabout the members 13.

Vertical members 16 and 17 are telescopically mounted in the standards12 and 13, respectively, to accommodate exceptionally tall patients, andare connected at their upper ends by a U-shaped horizontal connectingbar 18, to which is secured a handle member 19 to facilitate themovement of the device from place to place.

Set screws 20 are provided in upright standards 13 for securing theuprights 17 in suitably adjusted position.

Fixedly secured to the underside of base 11 is a circular disc or plate21 provided with an annular reverted flange 22, which overlies the outeredge of a second plate 23, the latter being provided with an annulargroove or race 24 for the reception of a series of ball bearings 25. Theplate 23 is fixedly secured to a bottom plate, or support member 26, anda pivot 27 extends through base 11, plates 21 and 23, and base member26, so that the base 11 is rotatably mounted relative to the fixed basemember 26. Plate 11 includes a rearwardly extending portion 30 on theopposite sides of which are provided a pair of upstanding ears 31, uponwhich wheels 33 are mounted by means of stub axles 32, the wheels 33being normally raised above the ground level but adapted to engage theground when the device is slightly tilted in order to facilitatemovement of the assembly and a patient supported therein from place toplace.

A reservoir 35 for hydraulic fluid is mounted on base plate 11 adjacentthe rear extension 30 thereof, and has vertically extending upwardlytherefrom a hydraulic cylinder 36, in which is positioned a piston 37and a piston rod 38. A crosshead 39 is attached to the upper end ofpiston rod 38 exteriorly of the cylinder, and has secured to thelaterally extending end portions thereof a pair of parallel verticalmembers 40, which comprise extensions of an arcuate back member 41. Backmember 41 has secured thereto a rigid foot base plate 42, which issubstantially coextensive with the front of base plate 11, and whichcarries foot base 43.

Side plates 44 connected together by bolts 45 are connected to the lowerextremities of vertical members 40 and are positioned slidably aboutuprights 13 to serve as guides for the foot base when it is verticallyraised and lowered in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter.

A hydraulic pump 46 is mounted on top of reservoir 35 and includes apump piston 47 which is pivotally secured as by means of a pivot 48 tothe offset end 49 of an operating handle 50, the latter extendingupwardly to a point intermediate members 14 and 15 and terminating in ahand grip 51. Handle 50 is pivotally mounted as by a pivot 52 to a lugor bracket 53 which is fixedly secured to a point adjacent the lowerextremity of hydraulic cylinder 36, the arrangement being such thatreciprocation of the handle 50 will actuate the pump 46 to elevate thepiston 37 and cylinder 36 and hence elevate base member 43. A controlrod 54 having an operating button 55 extends into hydraulic reservoir 35and controls, through a valve (not shown), the direction of fluid fiowinto the hydraulic cylinder 36 in order to elevate or lower the basemember 42.

The apparatus is provided with a friction brake for locking the plate 11against rotation relative to the base member 26, the braketaking theform of an operating rod 56 having a grip member 57 mounted in brackets58 secured to one of members 15, and extending through a suitableopening in the rear portion 30 of plate 11. The lower portion of rod 56is provided with a friction disc 59 which engages base member 26 to holdthe related parts against rotation.

From the foregoing, the use and operation of the device should now bereadily understandable. The apparatus is first wheeled to a positionadjacent the patient whom it is desired to move, lowered so that thebase portion 26 is in contact with the ground, and the brake set. Thebase 11 and the mechanism carried thereby is then rotated to theposition to be most accessible to the patient. He may then step on thefoot base 43, if the base is in its lowermost position, and grasping theuprights 16 or the horizontal member 18, may be transported in astanding position to a desired location and then be transferred to a bedor a commode or the like, as desired.

From the foregoing it will now be seen there is herein provided a devicewhich accomplishes all of the objects of this invention, and others,including many advantages of greatpractical utility and commercialimportance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as manymodifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to beinterpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. An invalid transfer apparatus comprising, in combination, a basemember, a base plate rotatable on said base member, uprights carried bysaid base plate, a hydraulic cylinder mounted vertically on said baseplate, a piston rod in said cylinder, a cross-head on the projectingupper end of said piston rod, vertical members, one being fixed to eachend of said cross-head and the lower ends thereof being fixed to andsupporting a foot base frame, a foot base carried by Said frame, meansconnected to said frameand engageable With'said certain uprights forguiding said foot base, and means for actuating said hydraulic cylinderand piston to raise and lower said foot base.

2. An invalid transfer apparatus comprising, in combination, a basemember, a'base plate rotatable on said base member, uprights carried bysaid base plate, a hydraulic cylinder mounted vertically on said baseplate, a piston rod in said cylinder, a cross-head on the projectingupper end of said-piston rod, vertical members, one being fixed to eachend of said cross-head and the lower'ends thereof being-fixedto'anintermediate portion ofa vertically disposed rigid arcuate backmember, the upper edge of said bac-kmember being tapered downwardlytoward the front portion thereof, a foot base secured to and-supportedby said arcuate back member, means'connected to said foot base and'engageable with said certain uprights for guiding said foot base,-andmeans for actuating said hydraulic cylinder andpistonto raise and lowersaid foot base, said means'including a manually operable lever.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said rotatable base plate includesan extension rearwardly of said arcuate back member and saidactuating'mea-ns for said hydraulic cylinder and piston is mountedthereon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,432,037 Russell Oct. 17, 1922 2,242,071 Hoffman May 13, 1941 2,439,163Farmer Aprfi6, 1948 2,757,388 Chisholm -Aug. 7,19% 2,819,485 'SparklinJan. 14,1958

